


Make 'em Dance

by HQ_Wingster



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Character Interpretation, Champions On Ice, Character Study, Episode 11, I cannot wait for episode 11, Ice Skating, Out of Character, Personal Favorite, Personal Growth, Short & Sweet, Short One Shot, Spanish Grand Prix 2015
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-11
Updated: 2016-12-11
Packaged: 2018-09-07 18:19:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8811244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HQ_Wingster/pseuds/HQ_Wingster
Summary: During the warm up before the start of the Grand Prix Finals, each skater reflects back on how far they've gone to make it center stage.For Yuuri, it was love from those he held dear. For Otabek, it was patience along a forgotten road. For Phichit, it was joy in the shape of doves. For Jean, it was self-worth from a past that refused to hide. For Chris, it was an old rival that became a friend. For Yurio, it was the unfaltering fact that he didn't travel on this road alone.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Been a very long time since I've typed a fic that I actually wanted to type.

The warm up period had begun. The six qualifying skaters for the Grand Prix Finals were making their way onto center stage, their coaches following from behind and watching their pupils grow up before the world's eyes. When Yuuri glanced down at his reflection on the ice, the winking gold over his ring finger snapped him out from his fantasy. The caress of a gold medal was too close to let go, yet the usual turmoil was bubbling in Yuuri's chest as Viktor gave him a run-down for his Eros performance. He glanced up at Viktor once during the whole talk, and the latter had an uncharacteristic frown on his face as he rubbed Yuuri's arm.

"You're not alone, Yuuri." Viktor's lips broke into a sincere smile. "We're in this together, so don't hold back." Viktor beckoned for Yuuri to come closer, and he wrapped his love into a hug. It was like any standard hug before going out on the ice, but Yuuri felt something different about it. It was a secure hug, a protective hug. No, perhaps it was a hug that managed to keep Yuuri together when he felt like falling apart. This wasn't the first time Viktor had hugged him like this. "Nervous? Scared?"

"I think it's understandable if I am." Why did Yuuri whisper his reply? It wasn't like anyone else was around to listen to them converse. Maybe it was because Viktor was holding him so tightly, as if to shield him from the world before it was his time to blossom under the sun.

"True-true." Viktor closed his eyes, resting his chin on Yuuri's good shoulder. "Promise me one thing."

"Win a gold medal?" It was an inside-joke that Yuuri was a bit brave to say. Viktor didn't laugh, but Yuuri liked to imagine that his love was smiling.

"Try not to make promises that you might not keep." Viktor broke from the hug, and there was a fiery glint in his eyes as he gave Yuuri his signature grin of approval. "Nobody thinks that you're weak. You're so strong that we're all curious to see what you'll do, and that's always the best surprise. Don't you think?"

Yurio's words echoed in the back of Yuuri's mind.  _'Viktor lives for surprises. If you can't surprise anyone, you're good as dead.'_ So, this was what Yurio meant after all. Well then, Yuuri was going to have to live up to his expectations. Not just the world's, not just Viktor's, but also his own expectations. For a long time, he went through each passing day without living. Now, Yuuri could truly be alive. With love on his side and family and friends supporting every step forward, Yuuri could finally see what was unknown to him before.

On another chapter of a skater's life, Otabek looked out upon the rink as if he was home again. Then again, every rink that he ever skated was home to him. When people and places changed, ice rinks usually stayed the same. It was a place to relax at, to think at, and a nice area to spend the day before retreating back home for the night. Today wasn't any different, but Otabek felt closer to home than he ever had. Maybe it was because he was at home, very recently.

How long was it? A year? Perhaps two? Time sure did fly by when home was far away. But after this competition, Otabek could return back to his hometown and spend every day learning and seeing what had changed during his absence. What a beauty that would be. Slipping into his skates, Otabek was the first to slide onto the ice. Peering down at his reflection, the usual stoic face blinked back at him. That was something that never changed, but what about a smile? A friendly smile before the real competition. Otabek practiced it. It seemed...a bit threatening. Best to hold back on the smile.

What were others doing? Mingling around with their coaches, last minute run-downs, and frantic feet hurrying over the ice as the warm-up period began. So much had changed since the year's first competition. Otabek remembered that day. There was more mingling than usual, more laughter rang from the skaters as they unwind before their performance, and there were no hardships. Not yet, anyway.

 _The atmosphere really is different when you're here._ More time spent on analyzing fellow skaters, more time alone as jumps were perfected and run again, and less time to be with those you wanted to be with. Change stood back for no one, but Otabek had the patience to follow it through to make it where he was today. And maybe when this is all over, he can get off the beaten path and make it back home. Where is home?

Well, there were a few friendly faces that definitely reminded him of home.

Typically, the warm-up period was quiet and focused. For Phichit, it was more like the precursor to an extravagant party. He couldn't show off all his bag of tricks yet, but he had a few techniques up his sleeve that he was willing to show as he practiced his landings and transitions. Coach Ciao Ciao shook his head, but he stood back smiling as Phichit's obvious enthusiasm influenced the atmosphere over the ice.

With a warmth following along his arms and legs, Phichit made small-talk with Yuuri and the two chatted briefly about what was to come. Of course, to blab everything was stupid, but to blab a few things had one person intrigued for a moment. It was a nice distraction at best, and it helped remind Phichit of how fun it was to skate. Feeling the world glide under your feet had a beautiful appeal, and it made you feel free. Like you could spread your wings and fly if you wanted to.

Phichit didn't have wings, but he had skates. They were pretty much the same thing. Like wings, if he wanted to go right, his skates would take him right. To go left, his skates would him lead left. It was that simple, yet it was fun. Because out on the ice, you could move as easily as you pleased and there was nothing tying you down. Okay, maybe Phichit did trip and fall a few times while standing his ground, but his feet never faltered while on the ice.

A certain joy, a certain bliss kept them moving. That energy was everything Phichit wanted and more.Where's the fun if it couldn't be shared? So like doves taking flight, Phichit imagined his joy fluttering to the other skates, nestling by their shoulders and cooing in their ears. Just a simple love, a simple joy to let someone take flight. That was everything Phichit wanted to give.

 What better joy was there to give than bringing satisfaction to the audience above? Jean knew people too well. Knew what made them tick and knew what made them speechless and breathless as they clung to whatever that they could hold dear. Every performance that Life threw was something to develop on. Whether it helped Jean grow or not was up to him, but he took these performances as personal challenges. If he couldn't excite himself, how could he guarantee that others would be excited. Every smile was carefully practice while in front of a mirror.

If he couldn't find joy in himself, how would others find joy in what he did. Everyone had their own set of scars, and Jean wasn't any different. Sure, words left deeper wounds than most would think. Sure, they didn't leave a visible injury for the world to see. Sure, you could the pain very easily with a smile or a wink or maybe a laugh if you were particularly brave. For a long time, Jean wasn't any of those things. Words hurt, and they branded their mark onto his skin like a hot iron.

Oh, Jean wasn't going to run from his past now. Even though the old taunts and teases circled around in his head, Jean wasn't running away. He hadn't run away in five years, and that was an accomplishment in of itself. His Mom and Dad waved from the sidelines, hats over their hearts as their son passed by with a small smile. His girlfriend, Isabella, blew him a kiss and that shook Jean off his game a bit before he centered himself back onto the ice. Plenty of distractions all around, and plenty of negative words going through his mind.

A slip of a frown tugged his lips, but Jean kept smiling. The more he smiled, the more the smile became real. The more the smile became real, the better grasp he had over his mind. He couldn't drown all his demons. They all knew how to swim, despite the tears. To the world, Jean could be described as a "pompous ass that was unbreakable". To himself, he was shattered glass that was rebuilding. Though all the shards cut deep and couldn't return, most came back to him. And if feeling whole again meant compensating how the world perceived you, Jean took that route in a heartbeat.

If feeling whole again meant being a wingman, Chris had that in the bag. Being the oldest skater out on the ice had its perks. He couldn't name them at the moment, but there were perks. Though he couldn't battle with Viktor on the ice, he could at least battle against Viktor's star pupil. What was he thinking? Yuuri was more than just a star, and Chris could see why. He saw how Viktor's eye would light up when Yuuri became the topic of a conversation. Viktor's eyes became animated and full of life, a stark contrast to how his eyes used to be a year ago.

Looking back on the long road between him and Viktor, Chris could safely say that he knew the man better than almost anyone else. So if someone caught Viktor's eyes and made him younger and more whole than he has been, Chris gave the individual his seal of approval. Even if said individual was a sixth-place finalist in the Grand Prix long ago. Wasn't too long ago, but long enough for Chris to almost forget Yuuri's name. But how could anyone forget the Japanese man after he strutted onto a dance floor and shook his tail feathers with a flourish to meet Viktor's gaze.

Ever since, Chris held Yuuri at a standard. Not really a standard, but the two bonded over a dance. What a crazy night that was. And now they're here, competing for a gold medal. Friend or not, Yuuri already has his gold. It'd be greedy if he had two, but Chris stepped back. Yuuri truly was a remarkable person, someone that was able to spark life back into Viktor after how long? Chris sighed as he skated off the ice when the warm-up period ended.

Katsuki Yuuri was full of surprises, but Chris had a thing or two up his sleeve. After all, he wasn't nicknamed "Magic Mike on Ice" for nothing. Two could play this game during a dance, and Chris wasn't going to fly solo for long. If anything, he had a rival as a partner and he was looking right at him.

"Yuri Plisetsky, you're on."

Yurio perked up. So soon? Yakov and Lilia exchanged glances as Yurio tugged off his jacket and stretched, searching through his mind for something that reminded of Agape. His grandfather. His new friend, Otabek. Cats. Yes, even cats. There was nothing to be nervous about, but but he was shaking so much. It was ridiculous. Before stepping back onto the ice, Yurio felt two hands on his shoulders.

"Just breathe, listen, and skate." Wise words from Yakov never did fail, and it managed to calm Yurio quite a bit.

"It's not a matter if you fail or not. But if you don't fail yourself, you've already won."

Yakov and Yurio stared at Lilia. Did those words just come out of her mouth? Were they dreaming? Yurio definitely wanted to believe that his mind made-up those words, but Lilia looked at him softly as if she was Yurio's caretaker. Not a smile broke her face, but her words were enough to instill hope into Yurio as he made his way to the center of the ice rink. All eyes were on him. The whole word was watching him. Honestly, could a few eyes look elsewhere for a change?

_"Good luck."_

Yurio looked behind him. Yuuri and Viktor, standing side by side, waved at him. Otabek watched Yurio earnestly with a soft smile. Jean flashed his signature smile and--quote in quote--"gang-signs". Phichit had a flower in his hand, which Yurio assumed was his flower. It was a nice flower, almost about to bloom. Standing next to Phichit was Chris, the usual cool-look upon his face. They were cheering for him in their own way, and Yurio could feel their hands on his shoulder.

_"I won't fail. Not today, not ever."_

Closing his eyes, Yurio tipped his head back. Waiting. Then, the music came on, and Yurio was born to be alive again.


End file.
